STARKVILLE — This weekend’s series between Mississippi State and Arizona State got off to about the worst possible start for the Bulldogs when the Sun Devils’ Luke Keaschall socked a leadoff home run to left field.
It didn’t get much better from there on out for MSU.
Arizona State (5-0) scored five runs in the first two innings, put up a six-run fifth and generally dominated Mississippi State (3-3) in a 13-4 ballgame at Dudy Noble Field.
“There are plays all over the field that we could make,” MSU coach Chris Lemonis said. “We’re just not playing good baseball.”
Bulldogs starter Cade Smith was tagged for seven runs in three-plus innings despite allowing just three hits, two of which were homers. Smith walked six batters and hit another in his short outing.
The junior loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning after Keaschall’s solo shot and a passed ball brought home two runs. Smith allowed just a sacrifice fly, but Wyatt Crenshaw took him deep in the second.
Smith was charged with two more runs in the fourth after being removed as Arizona State scored against reliever KC Hunt on a fielder’s choice and a line drive off the glove of shortstop Lane Forsythe.
The Sun Devils made it a laugher in the fifth inning, a frame featuring a pair of bases-loaded walks issued by Hunt. With freshman Brock Tapper on the mound, Jacob Tobias’ chopper down the line hit the first-base bag and hopped into right field, scoring all three runs to put ASU up by 13.
“It really pisses me off,” Mississippi State captain Luke Hancock said. “You look up there and it’s 13-0 in the fifth inning, that shouldn’t happen. It should never happen here. I don’t care who you’re playing. I don’t care if it’s the New York Yankees. That should never happen to us.”
It did Friday, though, and it continues to happen.
After Tuesday’s loss to ULM — which featured an 11-0 deficit — MSU has alternated wins and losses in every game this year, unable to string victories together.
On both Tuesday and Friday, the Bulldogs’ offense “pressed” early in the game as their opponents racked up the score.
MSU had just two hits in the first five innings and did not score, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth.
“It’s just hard to play from when you’re behind all the time,” Lemonis said. “It makes it tough. In some of our better games, we’re able to jump out there and get a lead and play well.”
Forsythe hit a two-run single for MSU after freshman catcher Ross Highfill was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, breaking the shutout. Slate Alford added an RBI double for the Bulldogs in the seventh.
For MSU, Tapper was perhaps the lone bright spot in another unsightly pitching performance.
The left-hander from DeSoto Central was excellent after allowing his inherited runners to score, taking over with one out in the fifth and pitching through the eighth inning.
Tapper allowed four hits, struck out four batters and was not charged with a run.
Sophomore Hunter Hines was the only Bulldogs batter with multiple hits, including a ringing double in the fourth inning.
Mississippi State and Arizona State will play the second game of their series at 5 p.m. Saturday. Left-hander Graham Yntema is slated to start on the mound for the Bulldogs.
Given MSU’s struggles — which date back to a last-place Southeastern Conference finish in 2022 — Lemonis said he has continued to preach consistency to his players but while refraining from “a yell or a scream.”
“They don’t need that right now,” he said. “They need to believe in each other and play a little bit better collectively as a group.”
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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